Bonhams, one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art, presents its California and Western Paintings & Sculpture sale this month in Los Angeles. The auction house hosts two other annual sales dedicated to California and western fine art, and although the number of lots varies, this sale is no different when it comes to Bonhams’ distinctive mix of fine art by important artists such as Edgar Payne and William Wendt. The August sale features works by 19th-century artists, American Impressionists, and western and California regionalists created between the 1880s and the present day. “Overall, it’s a very good sale,” says Scot Levitt, director of fine arts at Bonhams in Los Angeles. “Our April sale was 125 lots, and this one is closer to 200.”

The auction starts at 6 p.m. on August 2 at Bonhams’ property on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, with a simulcast in San Francisco. Clients can bid in both locations, but the property is located in Los Angeles on the day of the auction, says Levitt. A pre-sale viewing takes place in San Francisco July 22-24, and then in Los Angeles July 29-August 1. “The last day is what we call a soft preview, but anyone who walks in that day would be able to view everything,” Levitt adds.

When asked about anticipated top sellers in the sale’s western art division, Levitt rattles off a robust list. BEAR IN A STREAM TAKING NOTICE, by American wildlife artist Carl Rungius, is expected to bring in between $200,000 and $250,000. Another oil painting, by Taos artist Victor Higgins, is estimated to sell for between $120,000 and $180,000. Titled WOMAN GATHERING WATER IN THE PLACITA, the work displays Higgins’ well-known fascination with Taos light and color harmonies. Many works by California regionalists also take a seat at the high end of the market, including paintings by William Wendt, Edgar Payne, Fremont Ellis, and Granville Redmond.

“At our April sale, about 90 percent of the 125 lots sold, and of the lots that didn’t sell, many sold after the sale,” says Levitt. The fine-art gems at this month’s auction suggest another strong sale ahead. —Kim Agricola

Featured Artists

Gradually, the artist found less and less satisfaction in merely “painting what I thought would sell.” That’s when he began turning back to the mostly American Indian-inspired figurative works that the East Coast gallery owner had warned him to avoid.